Bearing lubrication and sealing



,Dec- 27, 1949 T. B. KEESLING BEARING LUBRICATION AND SEALINQ Filed Feb. 2o, 1946 NfENTGR THOMAS B. KEESL/Nf? BY n @aT/w ATTORNEY @hay n@ Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNH STA-'rss PAT orti-.cs

BEARING v LUBRICATION AND .-SEALING-.

Thomas B'. `ieesling, Campbell; Califigassignor to Food Machinery and Chemical!Corporation;v aH corporation of Delaware Application Februaryv'20, 1946, Serial No. 648;9,83..

theI chamber and,A consequently, lubricantv will seep-into the chamber and collect upon. the commlodityv treated` therein; This has .objectionable effects particularly in cases :where-the commodity to fbe-treatedisecanned goods 'because thelubricant collects onthe walls oft the cans and prevents the adherenceof-gummed labels to the cans.

The-presentinvention has asone of its objects to 'provide an apparatus for lubricatingy bearings within-a pressurechamber without loss or seepage of;s 1ubricant= into: the chamber;

Another-oog ect Ais to provide anapparatus for utilizing'lthe; pressuref within thechamber for automatically equalizing; thef pressure of the lubricant` with the pressure' prevailing in the chamber- 4 Another-object isto provide'ran apparatus for preventing'the seepage of the pressure medium into the -bearingk toprevent Ithe pressure medium frturn.:y displacing; the lubricant andi. thus assure thatthebearing willneverr-un, dry or v`become scorched.

These and other objects and'advantages will become moreapparent fromathefollowing description taken 1in conjunction iwith; ther accom-1 panying drawings wherein :v

Fig. 1 isarpartial elevation-of= a.y pressure treating; apparatus embodyingthe present invention.

Fig. 211is. an; enlarged :section taken along line 2:-2 in Figi-f 1 g certaintportions being. broken away for. purposes'. of illustration.

Fig@ 3: is; an 1 enlarged? longitudinali section through ahearin'gztakensalong line 34-3 vin Fig. 2;

Fig; 4fisz.a section'similar to'Fig. 3,' but at'a smaller scale,.illustrating a different form of bearing embodying the: present. invention.

For' purposes of'this rdisclosure; the present inventiomis` illustrated'. inl conjunction with an eie'ctorcmechanismr for cookers such as the one described.- and shown: in--UTS Letters'Patent No. 2352107 issuedfto'iAa R. Thompson, March 28; 1939;. However,I it is-tobeunderstoodthat the inventionhereinis gener-ally applicable tovarious typesof'bearingsin which a'portionof the bearing' is exposed topressure prevailing ina pressure chamber and; therefore; is not' limited to the specific arrangement shown inthe instant draw.- ings: Since the construction and Aoperation of theejector and cooker are clearly illustrated and.

2. described'in lthe patent above referred to, only so .much of th'e patentedqstructure will be described hereinv asnecessary for a properunderstanding.. of the present invention.

A portion ofthe pressure cooker is shown `in Figs.` 1` and, 2.1of' the .accompanying drawings and comprises a horizontally disposed shell l theends of which are sealed to provideachamber2 for retaining-.therein heat. .treating-.mediumV such as steam underpressuren Containers, such as cans, enter., the chamber. through a.- feedvalva. not showninA a manner..well knownin the art and are conveyedl throughthe chamber. 2 along a spiral..track..3 .by .areelgdl rotatably mounted co.- axiallyV withinthegshell onv a` shaft 5; 'Iheshaft 5 is rotated. by a suitabledrive.mechanism, not shown,to turn. thereel which hasfaplurality of pusher y bars- 6 on.. itsfperiphery .cooperating with the track- 3 tor-advance; the cans V-through the chamber 2. Thecans,lv afterhavingbeen processed in thechamberl;l leaize'fthe-.shellv I through a dischargev valvev 1fwhich'is of conventional design as will` be-notedbyv reference to the above mentioned;` patent..

The discharge Valvef'l has afshaftv 8.to which is secured a gear 91- meshing.'j with a geary lil in turn secured tontheidrivefshaft -5 so that the'cans are readily transferred.` in timed relation from the ree1-.4 Cintopo'ckets.l-2 intheY discharge Valve.

Within-.the-shell I is-l a; bracket 20 Which is bolted as showneat-Zl in Fig..2 toftheinner wall of the shell.- and von-v-this'bracket .2li` -a shaft 22 vis supported paralleli toftheI shatt 8 ofvthe discharge Valves. Rotatably mountedion theshaft 22'is an ejector'wheel-23ghaving peripheral teeth 24 which project from(withinithe:circumferenceof the reel 4-intof.;the; space :between the l' pusher bars 61; to eject the-cans `from thereel into the discharge valve.

The ejector-vwheel'; is fdriverr by vthey pusherbars 6-f-as the teeth Mraise vthe cans out of the reelin a mannerv similar...tofthatxexplained in the aforementioned patenit,.therebyztransferring'the cans into the. pockets -cl 21 of. fthe discharge valve which' in turn-convey, `the'.ca'nsxto ia.discharge chute. 255i Both 'the shaftz22andithe ejectorwheel 23.ar.e within the.y shell I and-are zthereforev subjected to thea pressure: medium,;. i. e:;..thet-h'eat ltreating mediumr-therein.. Thefeiector wheel 23:-fis provided-:with; .a 'hub'.tstructure 30forming .la vbearing sleevefil which1tszioverzthe.;shaft 22'for rotation relativewthereto assis-fbestfrshown'in Fig. 3.1 One endofthe shaft22ci left end FigS) has aretaining rimer flange 32 thereon which' ts into an annular shoulder 33aiormed-fin .th'e= adjacent face 38 of the shaft 22 extends beyond the opposite face 39 of the hub 30 into the bracket 29, the upper end of which is in the form of a split boss. The split boss comprises an integral half 46 having a seat formation 4| which receives the end 38 of the shaft, and a cap 42 which ts over the shaft and is bolted as shown at 43 to the flanges of the half boss to secure the shaft 22 in position. The shaft 22 is secured against lateral movement by a set screw 45 (Fig. 2) threaded through the cap 42 and having its end extending into an annular groove 46 of the shaft 22.

Mounted on the outside Wall of the shell l on a bracket 49 is an oil pump 56 having a drive shaft 5! with a pawl and ratchet unit 52 secured thereto. The pawl side of the unit 52 has a lever 53 operatively associated therewith to drive the ratchet and shaft 5l of the pump in the conventional manner. Secured to the shaft 8 of the discharge valve 1 is a crank 54 and this crank isy connected to the lever 53 by a pitman 55 so as to drive the pump in unison with the operation of the discharge valve.

Connected to the discharge side of the pump is a feed conduit 56 the opposite end 58 of which is connected to a nipple 59 which passesy through the wall of the shell. The nipple 59 is properly sealed with respect to the wall of the shell to prevent leakage of heat treating medium from the shell and within the shell the nipple 59 is connected to one end 60 of a continuation 58' of the conduit 56. The opposite end of the conduit 56 is connected to a fitting 6I threaded into the open end of a lubricant feed passage 62 extending longitudinally in the shaft 22. passage 62 terminates adjacent the annular rim or flange 32 of the shaft and has a discharge port 63 opening into a flattened portion 64 on the periphery of the shaft to admit lubricant from the passage 62 to the bearing surfaces of the shaft 22 and bearing sleeve 3 I.

Under normal circumstances lubricant is supplied by force from the pump 50 through the conduit 56, 56 and the passage 62 into the space between the bearing surfaces of the shaft and sleeve for uniform distribution over the same. I-Iowever, when the pressure within the shell is greater than the pressure of the lubricant from the oil pump 56, normal distribution of lubricant over the bearing surfaces adjacent the face 39 of the hub 39 is checked, leaving certain portions of the bearing surfaces of the sleeve and shaft without lubricant. Consequently, in order to assure complete lubrication of these bearing surfaces it was heretofore necessary to adjust the pump 58 to cause a sufficient quantity of lubricant to flow from the pump to thereby overcome the pressure of the heating medium in the shell. Obviously, with the pressure of the lubricant substantially in excess of the pressure of the heating medium there is a seepage of oil into the shell and the oil will collect on the cans causing difculty in labeling after the cans are discharged due to the fact that the labels will not stick to oil coated cans. In order to minimize the leakage of oil from the bearing it was heretofore necessary that the person attending the apparatus periodically inspect the bearings to see how much lubricant was leaking from them and by judgment adjust the pump to supply only so much lubricant as was necessary to amply cover the bearing surfaces and minimize the amount of leakage. This requires constant care under any circumstance and more particularly in a cooker because various commodities are treated therein and differing The feed batches of canned goods require a much greater or a much lesser pressure in order to properly treat them. Obviously, in previously known lubricators it has been necessary to readjust the lubricator pump when a different commodity is to be treated so as to regulate the force of the lubricant to suit the particular pressure prevailing within the shell l. Such constant care and periodical readjustment of the lubricator pump entail time and expense and at best do not overcome the objectionable seepage of lubricant into the chamber or leakage of treating medium into the bearing.

In accordance with the present invention the pressure of the lubricant is automatically equalized with the pressure of the treating medium within the shell to prevent leakage of lubricant from the bearing into the shell and also to prevent the treating medium from entering the bearing. To accomplish the equalization of pressure of the lubricant and treating medium in the present disclosure, the face 39 of the hub 30 which abuts the adjacent face of the boss 40 and cap 42 is provided with an annular recess 'il and a sealing ring l2 is pressed into the recess 1| and has its inner peripheral lip 13 in sealing engagement with the periphery of the shaft 22. Adjacent the recess 1| is another and smaller recess 14 which forms an annular oil retaining groove 75 at the inner side of the sealing ring 'l2 when the latter is in place. The shaft 22 has a port 76 formed therein to communicate the annular groove 75 with a lubricant discharge passage l1 extending longitudinally of the shaft 22 and threaded into the outer end of the discharge passage 'Il is a pipe fitting 'I8 having one end 19 of a discharge conduit 80 connected thereto. The other end of the conduit 80 is connected to a nipple 82 extending through the side wall of the shell to which it is properly welded to prevent leakage of heat treating medium around the nipple. Outside the shell the nipple 82 is connected to one end 83 of a conduit 84 the other end of which is connected to a fitting 85 threaded into the upper wall 86 of a tank or receptacle 81 so as to collect lubricant discharging from the bearing by way of the passage T! and conduits 80 and 84.

The tank 81 is secured to the outside wall of the shell as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and provides an air tight chamber 88. Communicating with this chamber 88 is a conduit 89 having its lower end 90 connected to a fitting 9| threaded into the upper wall 86 of the tank 81 and the other end 92 of conduit 89 is connected to a nipple 93 extending through the shell l and suitably welded to the wall of the shell to prevent leakage of treating medium therefrom around the nipple. In this manner, the air tight chamber 88 is subjected to the pressure prevailing in the treating chamber 2 and a back pressure is established on the lubricant discharging from the oil retaining recess 15 through the discharge passage Tl.

Prior to operation, the pump 50 is filled with lubricant in the form of oil and a crank 85 secured to the drive shaft 5l of the pump is rotated manually to force a sucient amount of lubricant through the feed conduits 56 and 56 into the feed passage 62 in the shaft 22 to assure initial lubrication of the bearing surfaces of the shaft and bearing sleeve 3|. The cooker is then started and the cans are fed therethrough in the manner hereinbefore explained. Upon each revolution of the can discharge turret H and the crank 54, the pitman 55 associated therewith aggeggio@ oscillates" the Llever 53 once-tor drive thepawliandf. ratchet unit 52T andftherebyoperatethe drive` shaft l-'of-'the1pump=to; force thel lubricant finto:

the-v bearing.y The pump isl adjusted toinject a measured! quantity. of` oil into -thefeed conduit.

56-'at1predetermined--intervals Lthereby forcing the oil-through the -feed vpassage-SSZ'and'vport 53 into the-` space fbetweentheLA bearing. surfaces of the-4 The-pressure of-A the treatingrwmediumon the outer side of the sealingrin'g 12T'doesexceed they sealingv capacity of l the`l ring and-ordinarily'- the heattreating medium wouldi beeforced through theY sealand into the bearing; However, since thefshell l and -tank- 8? are in communicationswithf-each-othervv byi'way of the conduit 89',- the` pressure-prevailingfwithin the tank 81 'is the same' as the pressure of=the treating'medium in theshlell'fl; Consequently, aback pressurehin direct relation to: the pressure-ff prevailing Within the*A well within thesealing capacity of the sealingl ringiandfth'e ring-fcan-thereore function in its normal mannen Oithey sealingring ywilli-nowf---prevent seepage of lubricant along theVv shaft Q2) theV oil injected into th'e bearing lby the lpumpy after f reaching Athe oil retaining groove l5;-i willY take the course of least resistance-and-ow through=the discharge passages- 15,? '51,1 Mi,- and-84 into the -tank'BL Thelubrica-nt discharginginto the tank 3l can beV taken-therefrom .through a-petcock Sl (Fig. 2) atV predetermined intervals, as,- for instance,v Wheneverthe oil lpump is reiilled.`

From-the foregoingit is apparent thateven though the pressureof the treating mediumI in thechamber-Bis periodically changed to suit the commodity tov be treated orVVA in-'th-'e eventth'ere is canned goods through' the shell, ,thev pressure `on Y the bearing and" chamber sidesl ofv thev sealing ring 'l2t is automatically' equalized and Ytherefore -f the sealingr ring canoperate'in itsnormal manner 'f to prevent the'entry of'h'eat treating'mediLun-into-` the/bearing and, conversely, prevent seepage oi a' change of pressureduringa particular run' of lubricant into the chamber.

rhey modied form of v"bearingshown in Fig; 4'

issimilar tothat o-thezbearing shown in-Fig, 3; previouslyv explained, with this difference: `The to within the circumference of theannulargroove'ly 'l5' and communicates-.with .the latter through a port 'lt'. The feed passage {S2/empties into the spatceb'etween the bearingfsurfaces of the shaftf 22'.' and sleeve 3l mid-way--th'eaends of the sleeve so-fthat lubricant-.is` supplied .to thev bearing :centrally thereof for-uniformuflowv-toward the outer ends of the bearing surfaces. The lubricant collecting-Lin the groovesf7l'59andf15 will take the course Yof least resistance-and-disch-arge through ports 16 and 'it' into the discharge passage 11 and in al1 other respects the modication shown Since# the peripheral lip 13- shaft 22 is supported von twofbrackets 20 and '20A 6".. inf-Elige 4 operatesiirlr lth'eesame: [mannen as.1 heres inbefo'rei` explained -1 concerning.` theo. disclosurev Figsl Itwill' be,l apparentrthatth'e invention'dsclosedf. in the two :forms previously explained iseequallys,` applicableLinfthe'eventthatitis desired to :rotate the-shaft in -alstatiionary bearing: In. otherfwordsg, the invention.l herein-ican-fbeadapted to such-1 struc@l tures by-lmerely-.fextendingftherfeedvandfdischargefa passages '62 .Sandi 'li'lfthroughithe.:4 stationary pore. tion `or 1the1fbearing-so that fthefshaitlmayibe free.-l ly-rotatedthereinz.

While-the apparatusiherein is. describedzinfnde.-y tail; it;willfbefappreciatedby those skilled in thery art that various modiiicationsand alterations may; bemade1 Without fde-partingsfnomfthe spirit 'of :the-f invention. I; therefore,V desire toavailmyself off .allil modicati'onsand lvariations* coming .f within: the scope of the appendedclaims;A

Iii claimfaslnewand-:desirel to protect by Letters Patent is l'. A lubricating apparatus lfop a bearingv withina= pressure chamber iu which-,the pressure is:v varied; ther combinationtherewithrof` means :.forsupplying lubricant by force.` to'v said 1? bearing-,z means associated withsaidifbearingifor establishing anseal between-the bearingfrandr said chamber; an air tight receptacle for collecting lubricant i from saidbearing alconduitrcommunicating: said*v bearing withsaidreceptacle,andiaJ conduitacom munioating .said pressure -chamber with said. re ceptacieH for establishing fav-back'l pressure Iiniv the 5 lubricant1discharging:- from-:said bearing: to2 automatically equalize the .pressure of the lubricant?A with the pressure:prevailing-within `the chamber and thereby prevent leakage of lubricant into'saidf' chamber;

2. A-2 lubricating apparatus for. .aibearing subjected Ito the-pressureofa1pressuremedium within a--pressure ichamb'er comprisingfmeans forsupi plyinglubricant by fforce to said F-b'earing, means f for establishingfa l-seal between said bearing andi chamber, a lpressureL tight receptacle,k :a conduiti leading from the-bearing side of; said seal .to said J pressure tightv receptacle for collecting lubricant z discharging from .the bearing; and-means com-- municatingr sai-d chamber and: receptacle for; establishing a back-pressure in the lubricant on thebearingside of saidfsea-l 'for ,preventing seep-` lageoofpressure'med-ium into the bearing.

3. A lubricating*appanatus--for bearings in a: `.pressurechamber comprising` in combination a journal anda body-arranged -for relative rotation with respect -toA each other, means for supplying lubricant byforcertofthe bearingsurflaces of saidl journal land body, means fforsealing the bearingf surfacesof saidjournal and body relative to said. pressure ichamberya closed receptaclefor coll-ect'- 1 ing lubricant'discharging from the bearing sur faces ofsaid journal and body-5 and means for communicating Ksaid closed receptacle with said'- chamber`- for establishing a backpressure inthe lubricant von thebearing side of'slaid sealing means tothereby equalizeethe 'press-ure of the lubricantv with the pressure prevailingin-the Ipressure chambei'.

4; A-lubricating apparatus for-"a bearing in a pressure chamber; means -for supplying lubricantb'yfforee to said bearing, means for establishing ai yseal of limited capacity between the bearing andi pressurechamber, a `pressure tight receptacle communicating with said bearing for collectinglubricant discharging therefrom',v and lmeans -communicating said receptacle with said chamber for automatically equalizing the pressure of the 1ubricant with pressure prevailing in the pressure chamber t thereby minimize the pressure differential on the bearing and chamber sides of said seal to a range well within the sealing capacity of said seal.

5. In a lbearing comprising a shaft and a body arranged -f-or relative rotation one with respect to the other within a pressure chamber, means on said body for sealing the bearing surfaces of said shaft and body relative to said chamber, means for forcing lubricant into the space between said bearing surfaces of said shaft and body, means for communicating the bearing side of said sealing Imeans with the pressure chamber to thereby substantially equalize the pressure of the lubricant with the pressure prevailing in said chamber, and means associated with said communicating means for collecting the lubricant discharging from the bearing side `of said sealing means.

6. A lubricating apparatus for a bearing within a pressure chamber comprising means for supplying lubricant under pressure to said bearing at a point remote from said chamber, means for sealing that portion of the bearing exposed to said chamber, means for permitting discharge of lubricant from the bearing :at ,a point adjacent said sealing means and having an lair tight pocket flor collecting lubricant discharged from said bearing, and means for communicating lsaid chamber with said pocket -for developing a back pressure on the lubricant discharging from said bearing to minimize the pressure differential lon the bearing and chamber Sides of said sealing means.

7. A lubricating apparatus for a bearing including a shaft with a hub mounted for rotation thereon within a chamber having fluid under pressure therein, said shaft having a feed and a discharge passage therein communicating with the bearing surfaces of the shaft and hub, means for forcing lubricant through said feed passage towards the periphery of said shaft and for discharging the lubricant through said discharge passage, means providing a seal between said bearing surfaces and said chamber, and means for Icy-passing fluid under pressure from said chamber to said discharge passage to establish a back pressure on the lubricant therein to therebr overcome the tendency of fluid under pressure tc seep through said sealing means from the chamber to the bearing surfaces.

8. A bearing disposed in a pressure chamber and comprising a shaft, a bearing sleeve mounted on said shaft for rotation relative thereto, said shaft having a lubricating opening therein, a pipe connection leading tc said opening, means for forcing lubricant through said pipe connection and opening to said bearing sleeve, means for sealing portions of said bearing sleeve relative to said shaft to normally prevent seepage of lubricant into said chamber, a sealed receptacle, said shaft having a discharge passage therein leading from a point adjacent the bearing side of said sealing means to said sealed receptacle, and means for establishing a back pressure on lubricant in said discharge passage in direct relation to the pressure prevailing in said chamber for substantially equalizing the pressure of the lubricant with the pressure prevailing within the pressure chamber.

9. A bearing in a chamber containing fluid under pressure and comprising a shaft, a bearing sleeve mounted on said shaft for rotation relative thereto, said shaft having a lubricating opening therein, a pipe connection leading to said opening, means for forcing lubricant through said pipe connection and opening toward said bearing sleeve, means for sealing portions of said bearing sleeve relative to said shaft to normally prevent seepage of lubricant into said chamber, an air tight receptacle, said shaft having a discharge passage therein leadingfrom a point adjacent the bearing side of said sealing means, means communicating the discharge passage with said air tight receptacle for collecting lubricant discharging from said bearing, and means for communicating said chamber with said air tight receptacle for establishing a back pressure on the lubricant in said bearing for preventing influx of fluid under pressure fro-m said chamber into said bearing through said sealing means.

10. In a bearing exposed to pressure prevailing in a pressure chamber and comprising a shaft and a body having a bearing surface frictionally contacting said shaft for rotation relative thereto, said shaft having a passage therein communicating with said bearing surface, means for forcing lubricant through said passage toward said bearing surface, said body having means thereon for sealing said bearing surface relative to said chamber, said shaft having an opening communicating with said bearing surface at a point adjacent said sealing means, a pipe connection leading from said opening and having an air tight pocket for collecting lubricant discharging from said opening, and means for communicating said -chamber with said pocket for establishing a back pressure on the lubricant adjacent the inner side of said sealing means in direct relation to the pressure prevailing Within said chamber for preventing seepage of fluid under pressure from said chamber towards said bearing surface through said sealing means.

11. An apparatus for lubricating a bearing exposed to fluid under pressure in a pressure chamber comprising a shaft and a bearing sleeve associated with each other for relative rotation, a conduit leading to said bearing, means connected to said conduit for inducing a flow of lubricant under force toward said bearing, means for sealing said bearing relative to said chamber, a discharge conduit leading away from the bear- .ing side of said sealing means, an air tight receptacle connected to said discharge conduit for collecting lubricant discharging therethrough, and means connecting said chamber with said air tight receptacle for creating a back pressure against the lubricant on the bearing side of said sealing means to thereby reduce the pressure differential on the two sides of the sealing means to a range well within the sealing capacity of the sealing means.

THOS. B. KEESLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

37,252 France July 22, 1930 

